25 Amazing Things for 2014

Products, materials and services that made us look twice.

The world is teeming with incredible stuff. Here, our highly opinionated list of products, materials and services that made us look twice — and that we totally fell for.

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Courtesy of Manufacturer

Where Dreams Become Reality

Geometric jewelry, antlered light switches — if you can imagine it, the 3D-printing service Shapeways can help you make it real. Upload a model to its site, choose a material (from plastics to silver), and the company will produce your creation. Or log on to the site to see pages of items Shapeways has already made for others; many are for sale.

"When blue light hits the brain, it can lift depression, dementia, even PMS. So I'd venture that if you see sunlight reflected through this beautiful blue, it could have an effect far beyond beauty. Who knows? You might even get a little high." —Arielle Eckstut, coauthor, The Secret Language of Color

A lovely saucer that's lost its cup is always a mournful sight — until now. British designer Richard Brendon rescues exquisite orphaned saucers from the discard bins of England's finest antiques shops, then pairs them with bone-china cups painted in platinum or gold. The mirrorlike surfaces pick up the patterns and colors of their saucers in beautiful liquid reflections.

Dilemma: You want to let someone into your house, but you're not there. Solution: The August Smart Lock fits over your dead bolt and unlocks the door via a signal sent from your smartphone. Let in the plumber, the sitter, even your parents.

A crop of new companies make it easy to whip up perfect gourmet meals without the hassle of shopping or prep. Simply sign up online, open the package of super-fresh ingredients when it arrives, follow the enclosed recipe, and serve.

Plated, from $12 per dish. plated.com.Blue Apron, from $60 for three meals a week for two people. blueapron.com. HelloFresh, from $59 for three meals a week for two people. hellofresh.com.

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Courtesy of Manufacturer

These Outlets Are In

Proof that great design can transform even everyday objects? Stylish, inventive Adorne electrical outlets. There are three basic models: USB-ready (shown), tamper-resistant, and a standard plug that pushes into the wall, out of sight, when not in use. Plate finishes range from French oak to brushed metals in colors such as Lichen Green, Plum, Honey, and Cherry, and materials can be customized.

The best thing about blooms in porcelain, tole, paper, or wood? They're timeless. With Paper to Petal, a new book by Rebecca Thuss and Patrick Farrell (Potter Craft), you might even learn to make some yourself.

Salvation for anyone who wants a salon gallery look but quakes at the thought of decorating a blank wall. Interior design superstar Bunny Williams and the venerable framer J. Pocker have put together three sets of artwork, all stunning framed copies of pieces from Bunny's home. The sets come with sketches for layout schemes and precise instructions about how to hang your acquisitions — minus the angst.

You won't need a replacement bulb for decades! Jake Dyson's CSYS lamp uses an LED bulb and dissipates the bulb's heat in a way that extends its working life. And because the lamp operates with such efficiency, the light that it casts maintains a soft, natural glow.

Artist Madeline Burton collects plants, arranges them on light-sensitive fabric, then exposes it all to the sun to let nature take its own self-portrait. The results are heart-stopping, mural-size wall-coverings with repeats as large as nine feet wide.

Thanks to special eyeglasses with built-in audio, two people can cozy up on the couch together and watch completely different programs on one enormous 55-inch screen, all in glorious high definition or 3D.

"Who cares about a stove's BTUs?" asks Jeffery Sears, CEO of the new retail concept Pirch, where dryers tumble and steam showers mist. "When you're stove shopping, you're thinking, Can it help me make my famous cookies?" Send over the recipe and one of Pirch's chefs (yes, there are in-house chefs) will have your ingredients waiting for you to "test drive" the latest ranges. Afterward, sip a latte from the built-in espresso machine for sale. In the bath area, dozens of fixtures sprout from the walls, waiting for you to discover the spray of your dreams. There are currently four California locations, with stores planned for Chicago, Atlanta, and Dallas in 2014.

One company completely refreshes your sock drawer and recycles all your old socks. Another sends you a state-of-the-art toothbrush every three months and makes sure your old ones never see a landfill. And the third guarantees you get the smoothest shave possible by delivering fresh razor blades to your mailbox every month.

Is there an Audubon print, Slim Aarons photo, or toile pattern you absolutely love? The printing company Surface View can reproduce any image, in almost any size, on canvas, paper — even tile! Upload the image to its website and customize it further by cropping it, repeating it, or blowing it up. You can also choose an image from the company's vast online catalog — it has usage agreements with several museums, including London's National Gallery.

Tile printed with an 18th-century Chinese wallpaper pattern from the Victoria and Albert Museum, from $275. surfaceview.co.uk.

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Courtesy of Manufacturer

Smoke Detector That's Not Annoying

No more shrill beeps in places you can't reach. The Wi-Fi–enabled Nest Protect actually speaks to you in a firm but soothing human voice. Multiple units can be connected, so the one in the bedroom will alert you if something is amiss in the kitchen. The device tells you when batteries need to be changed. And false alarms? Waved away with a flick of your hand.

Crafted from a Caltech-invented alloy that is just one atom wide, this extraordinary knife has an edge that's 200 times sharper and 250 percent more durable than steel— and it needs virtually no sharpening. Bacteria won't adhere to the blade's glass-smooth surface, and the knife is also dishwasher-safe.

"We find weathered wood with character and age, and then we shave it into 1/8-inch-thick lengths and back it with adhesive strips," explains Stikwood creator Jerry McCall about these fabulous wallcoverings. Delivery usually takes fewer than three days, and installation is a breeze.

Here's what 22,000 hours of scientific study and $172 million invested in research gets you: a miracle material! Dekton is a breakthrough product you can use just about anywhere, from kitchen countertops to exterior siding. It doesn't scratch, burn, stain, warp, or fade, and it has the strength of stone at a fraction of its thickness.

No other blender on the market can match the horsepower of this professional-grade model. Toss your ingredients into the machine, set it to "soup" mode, and switch on the power. Not only will the blender deliver a perfect puree, but the friction generated by its whirling blades creates temperatures high enough to cook the soup. It also makes short work of ice, nuts, dough, and fruit smoothies.

From their factory on the famous island in the Venetian lagoon, the Seguso family fills orders for these extraordinary custom vanity sinks, produced in a colorful riot of stripes or a range of rich solids.

This handcrafted porcelain pot is all ceremony and no tea: It exists solely to be adored. Exquisite blanc de chine flowers, tendrils, and foliage spill down its sides. In Japan and China, vessels like these are given as presents to bring peace, luck, and fortune. Who doesn't need a little of that?

When designer Hillary Thomas couldn't find lamp finials she thought worthy of her clients, she created her own. In dozens of styles and crafted from materials such as raw agate, malachite, and abalone shell, these small details pack a whopping wow factor.

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